Best eSIM for Cape Verde 2026: 9 Providers Compared

Alou (formerly CVMovel) and Unitel T+ cover Sal, Boa Vista, Praia and Mindelo in 4G near the towns and resorts, while the trails of Santo Antão and Fogo's volcanic interior get weaker service. Cape Verde is an Atlantic archipelago off West Africa, from the resort beaches of Sal and Boa Vista to the mountainous trails of Santo Antao and the capital Praia on Santiago. Getting around between islands and beaches runs on good data for maps and messaging, and an eSIM is the cleanest way to get it: install before you fly, land at Sal or Praia, and your phone connects the moment it finds a local network.

Alou and Unitel T+: the two networks behind Cape Verde's 4G

Cape Verde has two mobile operators. The incumbent, Cabo Verde Telecom, merged its mobile arm CVMovel into the group and has sold everything under the Alou brand since October 2023, so shop signs and network names now read Alou. The challenger is Unitel T+, part of the Angolan Unitel group. Both run 4G on the inhabited islands, with the best service in Santa Maria on Sal, Sal Rei on Boa Vista, Praia and Mindelo.

For a resort stay, the difference between the two is small. It shows more on the hiking islands, where one network may reach a valley that the other does not. A travel eSIM connects to the network its provider has agreed with, and the networks for each Simsima plan are listed in its details.

Unitel's Morabeza eSIM and local SIM cards

Unitel T+ sells its own tourist eSIM online under the name Morabeza. On Unitel's eSIM store (checked October 2026), the plans run from 10 GB for 10 days at €10 to an unlimited 15-day plan at €45, each with 30 minutes of calls, and Unitel says activation happens automatically on its network when you arrive. A physical SIM from Alou or Unitel T+ is sold in their shops in town, with passport registration, and the airports at Sal and Boa Vista are not the easiest place to find one.

The local options give you a Cape Verdean number and calls, which a travel eSIM does not. A travel eSIM, on the other hand, can be part of a provider you already use elsewhere, with support in your language and a choice of networks. Compare the plans in the table below with the local offer for your dates.

EASE pre-registration and the airport security tax

Before you fly, Cape Verde asks most visitors to pre-register online on the EASE portal and pay the airport security tax (TSA). When the system started in 2019, the Spanish embassy in Praia put the tax at 3,400 escudos, about €30, and said registration can be done online up to five days before the flight. The EASE site also lists the nationalities that need a visa before arrival under the rules in force since 1 January 2026.

Do the EASE form at home on the same evening you install your eSIM, and keep the confirmation as a screenshot in case you are asked for it on arrival. An airport arrival hall is not where you want to fill in a form on a phone.

Sal, Boa Vista, Santo Antao and Fogo: coverage island by island

Sal and Boa Vista are flat, built around resorts, and covered in and around Santa Maria and Sal Rei. Signal fades on the empty beaches of Boa Vista's south coast and on desert tracks to Praia de Santa Monica. Santiago is covered in Praia, Cidade Velha and Assomada, with gaps in the Serra Malagueta. Mindelo on Sao Vicente is well connected.

Santo Antao and Fogo are where coverage really thins. The hiking trails from Cova crater down the Paul valley and along the north coast to Ponta do Sol drop in and out, and inside Fogo's Cha das Caldeiras crater signal is weak. Download offline maps of both islands before you leave the hotel.

Island-hopping for a week: Sal, Sao Vicente and Santo Antao

A popular week starts with three nights in Santa Maria, flies to Sao Vicente for Mindelo's music bars, then takes the ferry across to Santo Antao for two days of hiking. Data goes on maps, WhatsApp with guesthouses and taxi drivers, checking inter-island flight and ferry times, and sharing photos.

Count on 300 to 500 MB a day, which comes to 2 to 4 GB for the week, so a small capped plan from the table usually fits. If you rely on the eSIM instead of guesthouse Wi-Fi, or work from a laptop, choose a larger allowance.

What to weigh before choosing an eSIM in Cape Verde

• No Cape Verdean number: you can't receive local SMS or calls, though WhatsApp covers most contact with guesthouses and drivers
• Sharing data with a laptop or a second phone in Santa Maria depends on the plan's hotspot terms
• Unlock your phone with your home carrier before the flight to Sal or Praia, and confirm it supports eSIM
• Coverage is thin on Santo Antao's trails and in Fogo's crater, whichever network you use

If your trip continues to Senegal or another West African country, a regional plan can replace several country plans; the Africa guide below explains how the zones work.

Best eSIM plans for Cape Verde

Cape Verde is one of the pricier data markets in Africa, so plan size matters. Simsima runs on the local networks with transparent pricing. Here is how a light 1 GB pack compares across eSIM providers:

Simsima's full Cape Verde lineup runs from small packs up to larger monthly allowances on the local networks. Because resorts have Wi-Fi, a 2 to 3 GB plan is enough for most beach trips, covering maps and transfers, with more for island-hopping or remote work.

How to install your Cape Verde eSIM

Installation takes a couple of minutes and is best done at home on Wi-Fi before you fly. The plan activates on its own when it connects to a local network on arrival, so the validity window does not start early.

1. Buy your Cape Verde plan on Simsima and open the confirmation with your QR code
2. On your phone, go to Settings, then Mobile or Cellular Data, and choose Add eSIM
3. Scan the QR code or use the one-tap install link, then label the plan Cape Verde
4. Keep your home line as default for calls and texts, and set the eSIM for data
5. Turn on data roaming for the eSIM line only, then land in Cape Verde and go online

eSIM for Africa: Coverage, Costs and What to Expect

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Cape Verde eSIM plans — Browse and compare all available Cape Verde eSIM plans on Simsima

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How Simsima works — Learn how to buy and install an eSIM in a few minutes, and how it activates on arrival